Matching Keys

Oddly enough, I went through exactly this issue last month. The key to my baggage door was broken, and instead of just picking up another lock, I decided to see if I could get it to use the same key as the ignition.

(Before I go into this, apologies: I know some stuff about airplanes, too much stuff about 19th century sailing vessels, but nothing at all about locks. So I'll be inventing my own terminology, here.)

BTW, before I get started, a locksmith probably would be a good place to start. If you have a your ignition switch already, he or she will probably have a cabinet lock that can have the pins changed to take the same key. My nextdoor neighbor is a professional magician...which means he knows a lot about locks...and has been able to do my home locks to take the same key.

OK, first thing: Does the ignition and door lock take the same key, even if the ignition key won't turn the door lock? Then you can do what I did.

Here's an illustration of the basic lock mechanism. The key goes in where my manly thumb is positioned. The other end is where the longer plate bolts into, that actually catches the door jam when the key is turned to hold the door in place.

Attachment 9500
It's all contained in a big cylinder. This lock has five spring-loaded plates, "Pins," in slots. They're real obvious in the picture. This cylinder goes inside a tubular outer housing. If any of the Pins are sticking out, the lock cylinder won't turn and hence the door is locked.

On this very, very common type of lock, the pins are shaped like hairpins... they're open at the far end (the part not in sight), and have a little tab sticking up on the side closest to the camera (again, should be obvious from the photo).

When you stick the RIGHT key into the lock, all the pins lie flush to the outer edge of the cylinder, and thus the lock will turn and let you open the door.

When you stick the WRONG key into the lock, one or more of the pins will still stick out and will keep the cylinder from turning.

In my case, two pins stuck outside the cylinder when I put the ignition key in place. I just used a needle-nose pliers and pulled those two out. And voila, it would now open using my ignition key.

"But....but...the lock now accepts about three times as many keys!"

Is this truly a problem? These locks are more meant as "nuisance" locks, intended to keep out the idle curious. Anybody with actual criminal intent knows these cheap locks will surrender to a stout screwdriver or a hammer.

Again, both locks have both keys able to be fully inserted for this trick to work. I was surprised when my 40-year-old magneto switch key fit into the $10 cabinet lock I bought at Lowe's Aerospace. They seem to keep these pretty common.

If this doesn't work for you, bring your magneto switch and key into a locksmith and ask for door lock with a key to match. You'll spend a couple bucks more than Lowe's will charge, but you'll undoubtedly be happier with the outcome. It takes my magician friend five minutes or less to re-key a lock; if you bring the lock to the locksmith's store (instead of making them come to you), they probably won't charge much for the re-keying.

And, of course, I've got to end with the classic exchange from the old TV cop-parody series, "Police Squad":

Young damsel, finding Leslie Nielsen in her apartment: "Who are you? How did you get in here?"

Leslie Nielsen: "I'm the locksmith. And...I'm a locksmith."

Ron “It's true what they say: cops and women don't mix. It's like eating a spoonful of Drano; sure, it'll clean you out, but it'll leave you hollow inside" Wanttaja